For those of you who know me this could be a good description for me at times. I've never claimed to be the brightest bulb in the chandelier but however apt that title might be it is not a case of me being self-deprecating. Instead, it is a prescription for what I think ails many of us. Let me explain.

This past weekend Kris and I enjoyed a very relaxing and enjoyable time just being slow and simple. We spent Saturday puttering around the house doing long-needed yard maintenance, house cleaning and Kris even found time to cook up a big batch of home-made lasagna while I installed gutter guards. That night we snuggled in to watch a couple of movies with the fireplace keeping us warm. On Sunday we hosted a house full of family when my nephew Wade and his wife Marcie dropped-in for a visit while on their anniversary trip to Chicago and we were joined by our son Jake and his family. One of the day's highlights was when we all stepped outside to watch little Rena show off her new-found skill at riding a bicycle sans training wheels. We had a couple of drinks, ate a bunch of good food and washed it all down with a lot of loving conversation and sharing of family stories. It capped a full weekend of enjoying some old fashioned fun.

It all reminded me of an article I read recently in the Wall Street Journal by Jeanne Whalen where she describes the emergence of what seems to be a growing trend of people everywhere getting back to the basics of life; resisting, at least for a while, the constant urge to march forward; returning to slow, simple enjoyments. The author cites the example of a group of readers in New Zealand called the Slow Reading Club that has banned modern gadgets during their meetings so that deep, uninterrupted reading can take place. She uses them as a sample of how other time-consuming pursuits like home cooking, knitting by hand and all manner of other hobbies are also making a comeback and describes the many benefits gained from such slow, simple pursuits.

Do yourself some good: turn off the gadgets once in a while, surround yourself with family and friends every chance you get and slow down and be simple.

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Like most writers, I enjoy sharing my opinions, thoughts and tidbits of interesting information that I discover. Here I opine on ideas and topics that, by turn, either exasperate or intrigue me, strike my fancy or my funny-bone or are things I thought you'd like to know. I welcome your comments and replies.